CWTS

The Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) is an interdisciplinary research institute at Leiden University that studies scientific research and its connections to technology, innovation, and society. Our research, bibliometric and scientometric tools, and evaluation expertise provide a solid basis for supporting research assessment and strategic decision making and for developing science policy.

CWTS

As a leading research, consulting, and training center, CWTS is dedicated to increasing our understanding of scientific quality, societal impact, and other related concepts. CWTS studies the conditions and consequences of research evaluation for the generation of new knowledge, and the role of research in innovation processes. Special attention is paid to the value of bibliometric and scientometric tools to support the evaluation and management of scientific research. On the basis of its research, CWTS wishes to contribute to the debates about the role of science in society.

Studies at CWTS range across the broad field of science, technology and innovation studies. Our staff have developed a special focus on research evaluation, research management, and science policy. Among the fields that significantly contribute to the core activities of the institute are science and technology studies, library and information science, computer science, sociology, anthropology, and economics.

CWTS BV

Through CWTS BV, a company owned by Leiden University, our research is utilized to provide high-quality value-added products and services. This aims at supporting clients to organize the evaluation and management of their research. We are continuously working on developing new approaches, both quantitative (e.g., based on advanced bibliometric and scientometric analyses) and qualitative (e.g., based on interviews and ethnographic approaches), for valuing knowledge contributions in the sciences at large - including the social sciences and humanities.

Our robust bibliometric data system gives us a clear competitive edge and enables us to perform high-value bibliometric analyses. The core of this system is currently comprised of an enhanced version of Clarivate Analytics' Web of Science database. A combination of smart computer algorithms and manual data cleaning ensures a high-quality unification of the names of research institutions, which for instance forms the basis for the well-known CWTS Leiden Ranking. CWTS BV is continuously expanding its data system to include other major scientific databases, such as Scopus, PubMed, Crossref, PATSTAT, Mendeley, and ORCID.